So What Does a CAREGiver Really Do??? by Janell, guest blogger

When I tell people I am a Caregiver for Home Instead Senior Care, they sometimes say things like “So you clean and drive people to appointments?” Well, yes I do those things but not as much as you might think.


I do what is needed;

I have organized bills to be paid. I have helped file away important papers. I have helped get greeting cards ready to be mailed to grandchildren, nieces and nephews. I have packaged items for return from the Home Shopping Network.

I have watered plants, filled bird feeders and baked cookies. I have read Tom Sawyer aloud to a 98-year old client who couldn’t see but listened to the story intently and chuckled at Tom’s shenanigans. I have set on the front porch with a glass of iced tea and chatted. I have listened to tales of work on the rail road, of life growing up in a children’s home. I have met a woman who knew the Sullivan Brothers family ~ the 5 brothers who were killed in World War II. I have heard stories about Victory trains and V-mail ~ things I had to Google so I could find out more.

I have played Uno, Rummy and lost miserably to a 90 year old playing trivia. I have fed the cat, played with the dog and read aloud from the Reader’s Digest. I have reminisced looking at old photo albums and been in awe of the young images of the older person sitting next to me ~ an older and slower version with the same twinkle in their eyes.

I have made egg salad, fresh fruit salad and taken a leisurely walk on a beautiful fall day. I have looked at knickknacks and heard stories of times gone by. I have made beds and marveled over hand stitched quilts made long ago.

I have given hugs, been given hugs and caressed a dying woman’s hand in the darkest hour of the night. I have laughed and teased and been teased. I have steadied a man who normally uses a walker but refuses to when we walk in to his favorite place for lunch ~ McDonald’s. I have been charmed by a man with dementia who struggles with inner demons but tries to make a connection in the real world. I have dozed in a recliner by the bed of an Alzheimer’s patient so that his family could get some much needed rest.

I have walked Grey’s Lake and driven through Water Works Park when the trees are in bloom. I have consoled a 83 year old woman when her son didn’t come to visit. I have listened to 40s music and strolled through the Dollar Store. I have searched under the deck for a lost kitten.

I have parked near a playground with the windows down so that a 95 year old woman can listen to the sounds of the children squealing and playing ~ and I watched her tilt her head back with eyes closed and a smile on her face...

And yes, I have cleaned. I have wiped countertops, vacuumed carpet and dusted knickknacks and beloved framed photos. I have driven to doctor’s appointments, hair appointments, the grocery store, cleaners and the dentist.

And yes, I have been blessed in all of these things I do.

There's No Place Like Home

She sang you to sleep, taught you how to tie your shoes, made chicken soup when you were sick and cheered you on at the game. You knew she was there for you, no matter what. Now you want to be there for her. Whether you're caring for your mom, your dad or both parents, Home Instead is here to help.

There is simply no place like home, and Home Instead Senior Care® was created to help seniors remain safely in the comfort of home and to provide support to the family and friends who love them. We're here to address your concerns and provide the non-medical services you need, whether it's companionship while you're at work, help with groceries and errands, a helping hand with household chores or a simple reminder to take medications.

In the coming weeks, Des Moines Home Instead's blog will offer local and national resources and the latest information that matters to our seniors and their family and friends.

If there's a topic you'd like to see covered here, feel free to post it below as a comment.

We understand there's no place like home. Senior care, to us, is personal.